Weft nipper for circular looms



Jan. 21, 1969 A. MALCHAIIR 3,422,353

WEFT NIPPER FOR CIRCULAR LOOMS Filed Sept. 13, 1966 Sheet of 6 JNVENTOR.

MMOL A-r-romusss Jan. 21, 1969 A. MA LCHAIR WEFT NIPPER FOR CIRCULARLOOMS I Sheet g of 6 Filed Sept. 13, 1966 INVENTOR. A. NcLZc/vcu'r BYATTOn-NESS Jail. 2 1, 1969 A. MALcp-fim 3,422,858 I WEFT NIPPER FORCIRCULAR I LOQMS Sheet ,2 or 6 Filed Sept. '15. 1966 INVENTOR.A.Ma.lc.hcz ir' A'r'vomae'as Jan. 21, 1969 A. MALCHAIR WEFT NIPPER FORCIRCULAR LOOMS Filed Sept. 15, 1966 Shet 4 of e INVENTOR. A /4 a! c /7air AT'TO ILNEMS Jan. 21, 1969 Filed Spt. 13, 1966 Sheet INVENTOR. -N ZZI guy AT-rcmu E :5

Jan. 21, 1969 A. MALCHAIR WEFT NIPPER FOR CIRCULAR LOOMS Sheet 6 r of 6Filed Sept. 13, 1966 INVENTOR.

s s a m w m a i M United States Patent 3,422,858 WEFT NIPPER FORCIRCULAR LOOMS Armand Malchair, Herstal, Belgium, assignor to Peltzer &Fils S.A., Societe Anonyme, Verviers, Belgium, a

company Filed Sept. '13, 1966, Ser. No. 579,080 Claims priority,application Belgium, Sept. 17, 1965, 66 2 US. Cl. 13913 Claims Int. Cl.D03d 37/00 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present application hasco-related applications, Ser. Nos. 579,079 and 579,097 filedconcurrently therewith by the same applicant.

This invention relates to circular looms capable of producing fabricshaving weft threads variable as regards nature, quantity and color. Moreparticularly, this invention has for an object a weft-nipping devicecapable of bringing the weft threads, at a rate proportional to that atwhich the fabrics are made, into the trajectory of weftdrawing devicesintended to pass the picks in correct lengths and at correct positionsinto successive sheds. Additionally, this weft-nipping device is capableof cooperating with a selector device able to feed it with weft threadsof a nature, quantity and/or color predetermined in accordance with thefabric to be manufactured. This weft nipper also cooperates with thecutting-off device of the selector in such manner that the picksintended to be carried and moved by the weft-drawing device have aproperly predetermined length.

An important object of the invention relates to a weftnipping device ofthis type which is capable of being readily interposed between aselector device and a weftdrawing device, so that the rapid feeding ofthe latter is assured irrespective of the pattern and the colours of thefabrics to be woven.

The selector device is preferably of the type described in theco-pending patent application Ser. No. 579,079, while the weft-drawingdevice is preferably of the type disclosed in the co-pending patentapplication Ser. No. 579,097.

A suitable selector device is also disclosed in the British patent toSlot, No. 435,061.

The weft-nipping device according to the invention substantiallyconsists in the combination of a support in the form of a crosspieceextended by an oscillating arm overhanging the path of the weft-drawingdevices, said oscillating arm carrying, at its end, the gripping meansproper normally maintained in the open position by the selector at thepoint of the feed means for the weft threads.

An embodiment of such a weft nipper is described below, without anylimiting character, by reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic plan view of a circular loom using theweft-nipping device forming the object of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged schematic section on the line IIII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view of the portion indicated at F3 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of the portion indicated at F4 in FIGURE 3;

'ice

FIGURE 5 is a section along the lines V--V of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view of the part indicated at F6 in FIGURE 5FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 represent sections respectively along the linesVII-VII, VIIIVIII and IX-IX of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 10 is a schematic representation of a part of the rotatingcontrol equipment;

FIGURE 11 is a diagram of an electrical circuit.

In FIGURES 1 and 2 there are shown, diagrammatically the essentialelements of the loom using the weft-nipping device according to theinvention, indicated by F3 in FIG. 1, namely, the main frame 1, the warpbeams 2, the sheets of warp threads 3, the heald frame units 4, theselector 5, the weft drawing devices 6, the cloth take-up rollers 7, therotating equipment 8 and its general driving mechanism 9.

The main frame 1 is arranged according to the number of sections forminga complete weaving unit, in the present case three, enabling threefabrics to be woven independently of each other, and of a quality and indesigns which may be the same or different.

This main frame is arranged so as to be able to carry perfectly all thefixed and moving elements of the loom as well as the beams and thefabric, with their respective mechanisms and their respective unrollingand rolling gear. In the illustrated embodiment, there is also shown,supported upon said main frame 1, an annular platform 10, enabling theloom to be permanently overseen and permitting easy access to itsprincipal mechanisms.

The beams 2 are arranged in the conventional manner on beams so thatthey can be readily engaged and disengaged from their support, showndiagrammatically at 11, these supports as well as the rolling mechanisms(not shown) for the beams being also known per se.

The sheet 3 of warp threads are, in the present case, conveyed andguided by return drums and support elements 121314-1516, so that saidwarp threads always have a practically constant tension. The warpthreads then pass into the shed forming device shown schematically at 4,and operated by a suitable heald frame motion (not shown).

The Weft-drawing device is shown schematically at 6, as being moved inthe shed, whereupon the fabric is beaten-up and supplied to the roller 7in known manner. Such a combination forming, as it were, a loom initself, is positioned around the longitudinal axis of the loom in asymmetrical manner, and there is maintained between them a gap in whichare arranged the mechanisms of the selector, the weft nipper, theselvedge-forming unit and the other auxiliary devices. In the exampleshown schematically in FIGURES l and 2, the circular loom has beendivided into six angular zones covering and alternately, arranged inzones of 30 and indicated at A and B in FIGURE 1. The zones A correspondto the selecting and preparing zones for the weft threads, while thezones B correspond to the weaving zones proper.

The subject of the invention concerns more particularly the weft-nippingdevice shown schematically at F3 and also being positioned in the zonesA.

This weft-nipping device comprises two essential parts, namely, acrosspiece 17 with its mechanism for imparting alternate angularmovements and the gripping head 18 mounted at the end of saidcrosspiece. The crosspiece 17 is, in this case, comprised of a profiledhorizontal arm 19 carried by the bolts 20 on the main frame 1 of theloom.

Towards its rear end, this arm is traversed by a vertical shaft 21supported on roller bearings 22 and extending beyond the upper plane ofsaid arm and carrying on this projecting portion a pulley 23 the hub ofwhich butts against a cap 24 fixed to the shaft 21, in this instance bya screw 25. The pulley 23 which is hollow, contains a spiral returnspring 26, one end of which is fixed at 27 to said pulley, while theother end is fixed to a pin 28 integral with the arm 19. The shaft 21 isconnected by a sleeve 29 and screws 30 to a second lower coaxial shaft31. The latter at its lower end is mounted on a roller bearing 32 housedin the corresponding portion of a tubular support 33 fixed by anysuitable means, to a small support 34, which is connected firmly to themain frame 1 of the loom by means of screws 35. On the lower projectingend of the shaft 31, there is keyed, by means of a pin 36, a leverconsisting of two parts 37-38 interconnected by a screw 39, thearrangement being such that the length of this lever can be fullyregulated. The free end of this lever serves as a bearing for the shaft40 of a roller 41, said shaft being held in position by a screw 42. Thisroller is permanently urged by the action of the spiral spring 26against a cam 43 integral with the rotating equipment 8. The cam 43 caneither extend around the rotating equipment 8, in the present embodimentin the form of twelve identical and equidistant protuberances, or therecan be fitted on the moving equipment 8 twelve separate earns which havethe same profile and are equidistant from each other.

The pulley 23 may also for control requirements be formed in two partsjoined by screws 44 so that the two parts constituting the pulley can beadjusted angularly.

At the other end of the profiled arm 19 there is fixed by a screw 45 ashaft 46 extending upwardly. On its projecting part there is supported,through the intermediary of roller bearings 47, a pulley 48 of the samediameter as the pulley 23. The pulley 48 is surmounted by a base 49,fixed by bolts 50 and also housing roller bearings 51 upon which issupported the upper portion of the shaft 46.

Finally, on the same arm 19, between the pulleys 23-48, there issecured, by means of a screw 52, a shaft 53 upon which, through rollerbearings 54, is freely supported a third pulley 55. An endless metalstrip 56 is supported on these three pulleys 23, 48, and is fixed to theouter pulleys by the bolts 57-58 respectively. The shaft 53 of theintermediate pulley 55 which forms, in this arrangement, a tensioningdevice, is engaged in an oblong orifice 59 cut in the arm 19, whichmakes it possible for the shaft 53 to be displaced at the appropriatetime, for the purpose of controlling and ensuring the required tensionin the endless metal strip 56.

The head 18, is carried at the end of the arm 19 by the base 49. Thishead includes in the illustrated arrangement, an arm 60, whichpreferably forms a single piece with the base 49, or can be fixedthereto. The free end of the arm 60 carries a tubular guide 61, the bore62 of which is extended to the two ends of the guide 61 by passages63-64 respectively, of rectangular cross-section. Engaged in the guide61 by a light friction fit is a rod 65, having a section in the form ofa U, and having its lower end profiled so as to form one of the jaws 66of the weft nipper, the second jaw 67 forming the lower part of a secondrod 68, engaging gently by friction in the first rod 65. These twomutually inter-engaged rods 65, 68 are simultaneously guided by thetubular element 61, as well as in their lower projecting parts by theengagement of the two free ends of a peg 69, integral with the fisrt rod65, in an oblong orifice 70 cut for this purpose in the second rod 68.

The above-mentioned jaws 66-67 are directed forwardly or towards theoutside in relation to the overall arrangement of this weft nippermechanism. In their upper parts each of the rods 65-68 has an orifice71-72 respectively. Over a large part of its height, the rod 68 can behollowed out as shown at'73 for the purpose of reducing the dead weight.

In each of the orifices 71-72 there is engaged the profiled end 74-75forming part of a cranked lever, 76-77 respectively. These two crankedlevers are also engaged between the two side-plates 78-79 of a head 80having a section in the form of a U and secured, by means of a screw 81,to the end of a rod 82. The side-plates 78-79 each have a medial oblongopening, 83-84 respectively,

the longitudinal axis of which is vertically disposed, and two outeroblong openings, 85-86 and 87-88 respectively, the longitudinal axis ofeach of which is horizontally disposed. The levers 76-77 carry neartheir adjacent parts, the ends of the shafts, 89-90 respectively,engaged by their free end in the medial oblong orifices 83-84. The head80 .is inserted in a U-shaped support 91 fixed in the underlying part ofthe arms 60 by means of a screw 92 and of pegs 93-94. The support 91 hasa U section, the two arms 95-96 of which are spaced apart by a distancevery slightly in excess of the length of the shafts 89-90, so that saidhead 80 may slide therein under gentle friction.

Opposite the outer oblong openings 85-86 and 87-88 the cranked levers76-77 are each traversed by a shaft 97- 98 respectively, which aresupported on the limbs 95-96.

The other end of the control lever 82 traverses the wall of a small case99 fixed on the base 49 by the screw 100. Towards this end, the rod 82is articulated by a shaft 101 at the end of one of the arms of a crankedlever 102, mounted on a fixed shaft 103 and the other end of which is,through the intermediary of a shaft 104, articulated on the end of a rod105 integral with the moving element of an electromagnet 106, saidmoving element being urged rearwardly by a spring 107.

The excitation circuit of this electromagnet 106 can be controlled byany appropriate means known per se, in turn controlled by the rotatingequipment shown schematically at 8. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, thisequipment is formed by a fixed photo-electric cell 108, an excitationlamp 109 also fixed and placed opposite said cell and opaque screens 10carried by the moving equipment 8, all these parts being placed insuitable positions with regard to the cams or protuberances of the cam43.

The Weft drawing devices move in the direction of the arrow F shown inFIGURE 3, so that the weft threads must be laid successively across thetrajectory F by means of the jaws 66, 67 of the weft nipper. The weft ispresented to the nipper by a device diagrammatically indicated by thenumeral 5 in FIGS, 2 and 10. This device does not constitute any part ofthe present invention and 18 described, for instance, in applicantsabove-mentioned patent application Ser. No. 579,079. The operation ofthe described device is as follows: Initially, as shown in FIGURES 3 to6, the arm 60 is located in the waiting position at the point where theappropriate weft thread is presented by the selector shown schematicallyat 5, the jaws 66-67 being in the open position, the screen beinginterposed between the photo-electric cell 108 and the correspondinglamp 109, but in the position just preceding the unmasking phase, and acam or protuberance 43 being located in a position preceding, by a smalldistance, the release of the roller 41 of the means for moving the arm60. In effect, in this position, the electro-rnagnet 106 is alwaysinactive and, by the action of the return spring 107, the rod 105 isalways urged downwardly, thus pushing back the rod 62 via the crankedlever 102, which brings about the separation of the free ends 74-75 ofthe cranked levers 76-77, and, consequently the open position of thejaws 66-67 of the weft nipper.

In the course of the rotary movement 4 moving equipment the screen 110uncovers the cell 108; the cell 108 is then energized by the lamp 109and it will close the switch 108a (FIG. 11) so that the excitationcircuit of the electromagnet 106 closes immediately, which brings aboutthe almost instant closing of the jaws 66-67 on the weft thread. The rod105 in its upward axial movement angularly displaces the cranked lever102 about its shaft 103, whichcauses a retracting action of the rod 82.This movement applies a pull on the head 80, and consequently on theshafts 89-90 as well, which ipso facto brings together the free ends ofthe cranked levers 76-77 and, as the result, causes the closing of thejaws 66-67. Almost instantaneously the cam 43 permits the roller 41 tomove, thus causing the positive movement of the pulley 23 and,consequently, also the displacement of the endless strip 56 and therotation of the pulley 48 as well as of all the elements connectedthereto, more particularly the arm 60 with the jaWs 66-67. The result ofthis is that the angular movement of the roller 41 is followed preciselyby the jaws 66-67 and also by the end of the weft thread which theycarry. The equipment is then positioned in the loom in such a way thatthe weft thread so moved is positioned across the trajectory of theweft-drawing device shown schematically at 6. The cam 43 is so shapedthat this end position of the move ment of said jaws 66-67 is maintaineduntil the weftdrawing device 6 has drawn up a sufficient quantity ofthread from the weft supply and through the selector 5 to form a pick.As shown in FIG. 2, the Weft nipper 18 brings the weft thread from theselector 5 into the path of the weft-drawing device 6. At that time, thescreen 110 is interposed again between a cell 108 and its exciting lamp109, while a protuberance on the cam brings the roller 41 into theinitial position, which also brings back the arm 60 with the jaws 66-67into the initial waiting position.

This operational cycle will be repeated for each weftdrawing device.

Obviously, the loom is so arranged that the weft thread can be cut offat the proper time. The Weft is cut at the selector side after theweft-drawing device 6 has drawn a sufficient length of weft to lay apick. After the passage of the weft-drawing device 6 through the shed,the cutoff end of the pick will be 'located at the exit side of the shedwhile the other end which has been held by the jaws 66, 67 is located atthe other side, namely, the entry side of the shed. Preferably, thisoperation will be carried out by the selector, and at the moment whenthe jaws 66-67 are opened following the passage of a weft-drawingdevice.

It is apparent that the means described above have been indicated solelyby way of illustration and that it is possible to use the essentialcharacteristics of the weftdrawing devices in essentially variableforms, particularly by replacing the described means by any technicallyequivalent means or functional equivalent. In the embodiment described,three such Weft-drawing devices are arranged equidistantly on thecircular loom, comprising one selector per weft nipper and twelveweft-drawing devices, thereby providing a loom of very high performance.

What I claim is:

1. In a circular loom having a rotary equipment, a selector andweft-drawing devices movable along a trajectory, a weft nipperinterposed between said selector and said weft-drawing devices andcomprising a support having the shape of a cross-piece, an oscillatingarm connected to said support and overhanging the trajectory of theweft-drawing devices, gripping means carried by an end of said arm, saidgripping means being normally open, means angularly displacing said armdepending upon the movement of the Weft-drawing devices, and meanstemporarily closing said gripping means whereby weft yarn is gripped atsaid selector and drawn across the path of the weft drawing device.

2. A weft nipper in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means angularlydisplacing said arm comprise a plurality of rollers, an endless beltcarried by said rollers, a separate shaft carrying each roller, saidshafts being supported by said support, one of said shafts beingextended, a crank carried by an end of said extended shaft, a rollercarried by said crank, a resilient return member engaging thelast-mentioned roller, and at least one cam integral with said rotaryequipment, said resilient return member maintaining the last-mentionedroller in engagement with said cam, one of the first-mentioned rollersbeing integral with said arm, whereby angular movements of said crankcontrolled by said cam are transmitted to said arm.

3. A weft nipper in accordance with claim 2, wherein the plurality ofrollers includes a front roller, a rear roller and an intermediatetensioner roller, said endless belt being attached to said font and rearrollers, the shaft of said front roller being fixed, the shaft of saidrear roller constituting a driving shaft, the shaft of said intermediatetensioner roller being adjustable.

4. A weft nipper in accordance with claim 1, wherein said gripping meanscomprise a vertical tubular guide carried by one end of said arm, twotelescoping rods extending through said guide and having lower and upperends, and jaws carried by lower ends of said rods; an electromagnetcarried by said support, a linkage actuated by said electromaguet and ascissor device engaging the upper ends of said rods and actuated by saidlinkage.

S. A weft nipper in accordance with claim 4, wherein said scissor devicecomprises two cranked levers, a rod, said two cranked levers oscillatingrelatively to the lastmentioned rod, a third cranked lever, thelast-mentioned rod being articulated upon the last-menti0ned crankedlever, and an electromagnetic core controlling the lastmentioned crankedlever.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,594,398 4/1952 Cooper 13913FOREIGN PATENTS 435,061 9/1935 Great Britain. 644,301 10/ 1950 GreatBritain. 295,628 3/ 1954 Switzerland.

HENRY S. JAUDON, Primary Examiner.

